The
Asian Security
With the rise of different varieties of fundamentalisms the issues of
global security have become increasingly important both nationally and
trans-nationally. Just as Europe and the United States have been gearing on a
war-footing to combat the fallout from global fundamentalism, Asia too must
acknowledge the urgency of both national and global security. Where does the
future of important Asian nations like Japan, China and India lie? Does it lie
in cooperation with Europe and America only? Or does it lie in cooperation
amongst themselves and with other Asian nations? Every Asian country needs to
answer these questions.
A lot has been written about Asia’s place in the global economy and the
emergence of Asia Pacific as an important zone in the world. But hardly any
attention is being paid to Asian security affairs. Security analysts believe
that the United States would try to disengage its military presence in Asia and
as a result create a security vacuum. This vacuum could then be filled by
China, Japan and India either individually or collectively. However both
unilateral and cooperative Asian security can be constrained by a lack of
communication, cultural knowledge and understanding between the three nations.
We may disagree with this conclusion but we cannot quarrel with the idea that
Asia will profit by developing cultural and social links between China, Japan
and India.
Most of Asia has enjoyed relative peace and political security for over
fifty years. The wars in Korea and Vietnam were bloody but localized and the
Cambodian War was an extension of the Vietnam War. The division of British
India into three nations was violent but did not destabilize the sub-continent
completely. The division between China mainland and Taiwan has resulted in
tension but not in military conflict yet. Some U. S. Congressmen feel that East
Asian defense has become rather costly for America. They also feel that since
the Russian threat is removed and China has been integrating well into the
world system, U.S. forces in Asia should be reduced in the coming decades.
Already Japan is talking about a post-American system of security and
developing its satellite surveillance capability by developing rocket
technology.
Now the question is can Japan remain a non-nuclear nation or need to
revise Article 9 of the constitution. This is an alarming question both for
Japanese and people of the world. There are no easy answers. Japan may not be
worried about China but certainly feels threatened by North Korea. If Pax
Americana retreats from Asia then China, Japan and India become important
players in the security of Asia. For who could handle a conflict say between
Malaysia and Philippines or Indonesia. In the absence of conflict resolution
the whole of East Asia might become politically unstable.
Japanese leaders are worried by the increase in defense spending by
China and North Korea. International discussion and negotiation could be an
effective way to reduce such threat and tension that U.S. has prevented till
now. The role of the United Nations and Association of South-east Asian Nations
(ASEAN) would increase. Now ASEAN is making a new initiative to stage a
Regional Security Conference to encounter this threat. Also the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) held meetings in Seattle to explore ways of
creating regional security of Asia. These are welcome trends in this direction.
None of the main players in Asia—China, Japan and India—have emerged as
trustworthy leaders who could handle Asian security affairs. Japan has become
economically capable but is not seen as a leader in Asia, either by China or
India. Its economy is rather fragile. Japan has developed a system of
interlocking trade and investment in Asia to protect itself from Asian economic
exploitation. China practices the Communist ideology, which has been rejected
by the Asian region: and China has border disputes. On the other hand China’s
open-door policy is making relations normal with other countries inviting cross
investments. India, fluent in the English language and familiar with western
administrative system, has an advantage in the international and regional
organization. It has a considerable presence overseas especially in Thailand,
Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Japan. With the rise of
information technology India, Japan and China are investing in each other’s
economy.
This does not mean that bilateral relationship between the three
countries in Asia is good. Japan feels culturally indebted to China, but guilty
of the military excesses it committed during the China War in the 1930s.
Buddhism, Confucianism, Chinese ideograms and principles of art and government
are shared by China and Japan. But Japan seems to feel some contempt for
China’s slowness to modernize. China feels psychologically superior but
economically envious of Japan. Today Japan is the biggest provider of funds and
technology to China. The territorial dispute over the Senkaku islands and
Japan’s rewriting of history books are major areas of conflict with China. In
1985 Robert Taylor in his book The
Sino-Japanese Axis predicted that a new civilization would be built on
“Chinese culture and Japanese art.” But there are plenty of Japanese who would
not agree with this prediction.
There are many successful Indian traders in Southern Japan and now
Indian IT professionals and scholars are getting added to this list. Japanese businessmen find India an excellent
location for offshore development. India is a major beneficiary of Japanese
economic aid. But Japanese know little about India. They are shocked by the
caste system, poverty and arrogance of the elite. However in the last few
decades there have been Indo-Japanese success stories as well. The success of
Maruti-Suzuki, a joint automobile venture, is a new model of partnership
between the two countries. China and India is another story. The distrust
generated by the Indo-China War of 1962 still lingers on. China is frightened
of India’s backing of Tibet and India is worried of Chinese support of
Pakistan. It seems unlikely that the three countries might come together in the
near future to forge an Asian security system. However it is possible that they
might develop their own influence over the region or develop the South Asian Association
for Regional Cooperation or SAARC
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